Blog

Earlier this month, Microsoft’s President and Chief Legal Office Brad Smith called for a new rural broadband strategy that sets the goal of closing the rural broadband gap entirely in the next five years — by July 4, 2022. This would bring affordable high-speed internet coverage to more than 23.4 million rural Americans who lack reliable, affordable access today. To...

On May 24, the U.S. Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism held a hearing on a critical digital policy issue, “Law Enforcement Access to Data Stored Across Borders: Facilitating Cooperation and Protecting Rights.” (You can find a recording of the hearing and written testimony by following the link.) Brad Smith testifying at Senate hearing (Photo: Ryan Risley) The hearing...

Last month, a group of sixteen members of Voices for Innovation’s Advisory Task Force (ATF) traveled to Microsoft headquarters for a day and a half of intensive briefings, tours, and training. ATF leaders gather at Microsoft headquarters. The visit gave ATF members—mostly small business Microsoft partners—a chance to share their perspective and learn about how key public policy debates will...

During Presidents’ Day week (February 20-24), Congress took a brief recess, with many officials returning to their districts to hold local meetings, conduct town halls, and perhaps get a little R&R. It just so happened this recess coincided with National Entrepreneurship Week, a nationwide program supported by Microsoft, Voices for Innovation, and many other businesses and organizations. With these events...

Guiyang, the capital of Southwest China’s Guizhou province and Big Data Application Center In late October, as a member of Voices for Innovation, I had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to participate in a Microsoft-supported week-long “Golden Key Project” workshop in China. Organized by the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, this exchange program enabled our delegation of U.S. technology...